BOARD MEETING MINUTES
REGULAR MEETING
Saturday, April 15, 2017
A. CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL
Vice President Zell called the Regular meeting of the Board of Directors of the Stinson Beach
County Water District to order on Saturday, April 15, 2017, at 9:33 a.m., at the Stinson Beach
County Water District office, located at 3785 Shoreline Highway, Stinson Beach, CA 94970.
Directors present:
Jim Zell, Vice President
Lawrence Baskin, Director
Barbara Boucke, Director
Sandra Cross, Director
Directors absent:
Morey Nelsen, President
General Manager present:
Ed Schmidt
Staff present:
Helma Schwendig - Office Supervisor
B. PUBLIC EXPRESSION
None.
C. SETTING OF AGENDA
The order of the agenda was changed to hear General
Business item #3 first.
E. GENERAL BUSINESS
-
Discussion and possible action re: a Resolution Declaring May 7 through May 13,
2017 as Drinking Water Week.
Every year, the American Water Works Association and an alliance of organizations sponsor Drinking Water Week to highlight the importance of tap water and the need to reinvest in our water infrastructure.
The Stinson Beach County Water District can celebrate the construction of the following major infrastructure projects, valued at approximately $5 million, and done mainly by District staff: Water Treatment Plant, Calles and Patios pipeline replacements, hundreds of leaks repaired, water meter replacements, Seadrift pipelines relocations, Black Rock tanks, Steep Ravine well, new vehicles and vactor trailer, new well at Laurel Treatment Plant site, fire hydrants upgraded, solar panels, storage containers at the Plant and Ranch tank, propane tanks and generator, tore down old field building, earthquake prevention at the Highlands tanks, and fireproofing Alder Grove well.
Director Baskin moved to approve Draft Resolution No. GB-2017-01, proclaiming the week of May 7 through May 13, 2017 as Drinking Water Week. Director Boucke seconded the motion. The motion was passed unanimously by the three Directors present, Vice President Zell and Directors Baskin and Boucke. Director Cross arrived shortly after their vote.
D. PUBLIC HEARING
- Discussion and possible direction to staff re: a Variance Application for replacement
of a wastewater system at 288 Seadrift Road, Bosber LLC Class 1, Owner, Account No.
6830.
Director Boucke recused herself as she resides within 500 feet of the project. The variance application will allow replacement of the existing gravity septic system and the addition of 1,045 square feet of habitable space. The maximum daily discharge will be 450 gallons and average 300 gallons. A repair application was previously reviewed and approved by the District in 2013 for use of an alternative system and setback to site criteria. However, no construction permit was issued, and the Design Approval Permit expired.
Variances are now requested to Title IV, Section 4.15.100 Site Criteria - Setbacks to reduce dispersal field setback to a paved area from 5 feet to 2.6 feet, to reduce dispersal field setback to a cut bank from 25 feet to 0 feet, to reduce septic tank setback to a cut bank from 10 feet to 0 feet, and Section 4.19.010 Use of Alternative Wastewater Systems Designs to utilize a textile filter pretreatment device. The new system will include a 1,500 gallon septic tank, a 1,500 gallon recirculation tank, an 810 gallon sump tank, recirculating Advantex textile filter and dual raised bed dispersal fields. The raised dispersal beds will provide at least three feet of vertical separation from the bottom of the beds to seasonal high groundwater.
A copy of the application was forwarded to the Regional Water Quality Control Board for their 30 day review period. Neighbor notifications were sent timely, and the Wastewater Committee reviewed and discussed the application at its April 3, 2017 meeting.
Director Baskin noted that the additional square footage is not the driving force for the requested variances. The variances are needed in order to replace a marginally operating septic system. With this modification to finding No. 2 on the draft resolution, Director Baskin moved to adopt draft Resolution No. WW 2017-04 Granting a Variance to the Requirements of the Stinson Beach County Water District Wastewater Treatment Regulations Ordinance No. 2014-04 to Reduce Setback Requirements and to Utilize an Alternative Wastewater System for Property Located at 288 Seadrift Road. Director Cross seconded the motion. The motion was passed unanimously by Vice President Zell and Directors Baskin and Cross.
E. GENERAL BUSINESS (continued)
-
Discussion and possible direction to staff re: a Coastal Development Permit
Application for the Laurel Water Treatment Plant Well.
The Water Operations Committee had recommended at its April 6, 2017 meeting that the District proceed to submit a Coastal Development Permit Application to convert its recently drilled test well at the Laurel Water Treatment Plant site to a production well.
Allan Richards of Stetson Engineers Inc. discussed the application package prepared by his firm, consisting of a 3-ring binder, divided into 14 sections which included a brief background and project description, the 2010 staff report for the approved Steep Ravine well, Laurel test well details and the State Water Board Division of Drinking Water Approval, the Marin County Environmental Health Services Well Drilling Permit, CEQA documents, Biological Site Assessment, Determination of No Development Constraints on Neighboring Properties and the Completed Well Information and draft Technical Memorandum Regarding the Well Capacity.
Vice President Zell and Directors Baskin, Boucke, and Cross approved by consensus the submission of the permit application package to the Marin County Community Development Agency, Planning Division, including the $7,460 permit application fee. -
Discussion and possible direction to staff re: (1) Approval of the District's Highlands
#1 Tank Coating and Repairs Project; (2) Authorization to Solicit Bids from contractors
to undertake Highlands #1 Tank Coating and Repairs Project.
The Highlands #1 Water Tank, a 320,000 gallon, steel potable water tank, was erected in 1979. Stetson Engineers has been directed to prepare design plans and specifications to recoat and repair the tank. This project consists of dry sandblasting and recoating the interior and exterior of the tank, minor steel reinforcement and repair work, and the replacement and addition of certain tank accessories. The total estimated cost is $370,000 and is not Proposition 84 grant related.
Stetson Engineers has prepared a draft set of plans and specifications for the Project, which were reviewed and discussed at the April 6, 2017 Water Operations Committee meeting. Mr. Richards estimated the project will be completed in 60 days after the notice to proceed has been issued. He distributed a photograph showing a suggested paint color as a matte Forest Green to blend in with the surrounding evergreens at the tank site.
Vice President Zell and Directors Baskin, Boucke, and Cross approved by consensus the Highlands #1 Tank Coating and Repairs Project and authorized the General Manager to solicit bids from construction contractors.
F. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Director Cross moved to approve the minutes of the meeting of March 18, 2017. Director
Baskin seconded the motion. The motion was passed unanimously by Vice President Zell
and Directors Baskin, Boucke and Cross.
G. APPROVAL OF DISBURSEMENTS
Director Baskin moved to approve the disbursements of March 14 and March 24, 2017.
Director Boucke seconded the motion. The motion was passed unanimously by Vice
President Zell and Directors Baskin, Boucke and Cross.
H. MANAGER'S REPORT
The General Manager discussed his monthly report. The 2016 Annual Wastewater Report
has been submitted to the Regional Water Quality Control Board. The District's second new
utility truck had to be returned because the dealer failed to coat its interior bed with the Spray
On Bedliner. The financial audit has been posted to the District website.
The Rolling Capital Improvements Cash Flow report for 12 Months Out confirms that the
District has sufficient resources to complete its remaining major Capital Improvement
Projects. The District has expended $805,841 on Prop. 84 Grant reimbursable projects, but
has received only $485,313 to date.
Historic Rain Totals show over 50" of rain to date; however, the community has to continue to
be conservative in water consumption, as the District has limited storage capacity. Also, there
is no way to measure how much water the new Laurel well holds, nor the extent of the
District's aquifers.
The General Manager will contact Jennifer Blackman of the Bolinas Community Public Utility
District to ascertain if the tipping fee has been increased, as agreed upon for the District's
$5,000 contribution to the Bolinas Resource Recovery Project Operational Costs.
I. COMMITTEE REPORTS
The Personnel Committee met on April 10, 2017 to discuss
possible salary increases for the employees.
J. CORRESPONDENCE
The Board reviewed the correspondence.
K. CLOSED DOOR SESSION
The meeting was adjourned to Closed Door Session at 10:35 a.m. Jim Zell and Morey
Nelsen were not present during the Closed Door Session. The Board returned to Open
Session. The Board convened into closed session, pursuant to California Government Code
Section 54956.9(d)(1) to confer with Legal Counsel for existing litigation, Brian Johnson v.
Stinson Beach County Water District, Case No. CIV 1604516. In the closed session, the
Board took action by a 3 to 0 vote - pursuant to California Government Code Section
54957.1, that concludes the open session report.
L. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned. The next regular meeting will be on Saturday, May 20, 2017, at
9:30 a.m.